Final Paper 2

711 Fremont
Manhattan, Kansas 66502
(913)271-5621
Devyns23@k-state.edu
May 8, 2015
Kansas State University Facilities Department
109 Dykstra Hall
Manhattan, Kansas 66506
(785)532-6389
rswanson@ksu.edu
Dear Kansas State University Facilities Department,
Enclosed is a copy of my research project completed during the spring of 2015: “Feasibility of
Transforming the Engineering Building Parking Lot into a Solar Parking Lot.” This feasibility
report summarizes my research concerning the possibility of implementing a solar road panel
as the surface of the engineering building’s parking lot. The world needs more plausible
solutions to attaining renewable energy sources. Research and development of solar road
panels could further progress towards that goal.
As promised in my proposal, this feasibility report contains an evaluation of the theoretical
amount of energy produced by the solar parking lot and a cost analysis of the project. The
report will describe how solar cells work, the limitations of the current solar road panel
prototype, and the possible benefits the solar parking lot would provide for Kansas State
University.
If the information presented does not adequately support my recommendation, or you have
any questions regarding the information presented please feel free to contact me via email,
phone, or home address. I appreciate your time and consideration concerning my project, and
hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Devyn Simmons
Enclosed: Final Report

Feasibility of Transforming the Engineering Building Parking
Lot into a Solar Parking Lot
Prepared for: Kansas State University Facilities Department
Prepared by: Devyn Simmons
May 8, 2015

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Table of Contents
List of Illustrations........................................................................................................................... iii
Executive Summary...........................................................................................................................iv
Introduction.......................................................................................................................................1
Methods of Research.........................................................................................................................3
Primary Research...........................................................................................................................3
Secondary Research.......................................................................................................................4
Energy Generated by Solar Panels ......................................................................................................5
How do solar cells work?................................................................................................................5
Solar Road Panel Limitations..............................................................................................................8
How will the panels endure everyday wear and tear? .....................................................................8
How will the panels endure the changing environment? .................................................................9
Installation and Maintenance...........................................................................................................12
How are solar road panels installed?.............................................................................................12
What maintenance do the panels demand?..................................................................................14
Benefits to Kansas State University...................................................................................................14
Results and Discussion.....................................................................................................................15
Conclusions and Recommendations..................................................................................................16
References.......................................................................................................................................17
Appendix A: Theoretical Energy Calculation......................................................................................19
Appendix B: Number of Panels Needed ............................................................................................20
Appendix C: Cost Analysis.................................................................................................................21

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List of Illustrations
Figure 1. KSU engineering building and surrounding areas (adapted from, Campus Map, 2014) ..............2
Figure 2. Band locationin semiconductor materials(McGregor, 2015) ...................................................6
Figure 3. Relationship between band width gap and class of material (Jabalameli, 2014) ........................6
Figure 4. Common crystalline-silicon solar cell configuration(Dirjish, 2012) ...........................................7
Figure 5. Hardness of common objects(Frequently Asked, 2015) ..........................................................9
Figure 6. Snow removal test with one heater on (High Resolution, 2015) .............................................11
Figure 7. Final stage of installation of the prototype solar parking lot (Barry, 2014) ..............................13

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Executive Summary
This report discusses the feasibility of transforming the parking lot north of the engineering
building on KSU’s (Kansas State University’s) campus into a solar parking lot. For decades
engineers, environmentalists, and government leaders have searched for sources of clean,
renewable energy. Scott Brusaw and his company Solar Roadways: A Real Solution are
developing a solar road panel to possibly solve this problem. Solar cells are now reaching lab
efficiencies exceeding 44 percent propelling solar energy to the verge of being cost effective.
Solar panels are already lining our streets and decorating rooftops all across the nation. I
propose that a more permanent solution be investigated that could potentially provide
renewable energy for the entire nation. I chose to research the implementation of solar road
panels as the surface of the parking lot north of the engineering building to determine the
feasibility of solar road panels. The theoretical amount of energy produced by the parking lot,
the cost of the project, and the solar road panel’s characteristics will be described in detail.
I utilized the Solar Roadways: A Real Solution company website for a majority of my research.
For most of the information concerning the operation of solar panels I consulted my NE612
class notes provided by Dr. Douglas McGregor. I used basic internet searching to provide
current market information for my cost analysis.
During my research I determined that the solar parking lot in question could theoretically
produce 2,027,094 kWh, which translates to saving roughly $188,520 a year on energy. The
project would require a minimum of 32,492 solar road panels. After including an assumption for
labor and other miscellaneous components to the solar road panel I calculated a total project
cost of roughly $20,955,580. This translates into a buyback period of just over 111 years.
A solar parking lot on KSU’s campus would provide a source of research for virtually every
engineering discipline. The solar road panels are made with tempered glass that enables each
panel to withstand over 250,000 pounds of force. This is more than 3 times the weight of the
heaviest semi-trucks on the road. Every solar panel can come equipped with an internal heating
element enabling the panels to remove snow and ice. The solar road panel has a traction
coefficient sufficient enough to stop a car going 80 miles per hour in the predetermined
acceptable distance even on a wet surface. Overall, the solar road panel’s durability and safety
ratings surpass all necessary regulations.
After carefully considering the impressive engineering and design of the solar road panel and
the possible benefits to KSU, I recommend that KSU’s Facilities Department wait to implement
a plan of action. The project is not cost feasible at this point in time due to the fact that solar
road panels are still in the prototyping stages. It is likely that solar cells will continue to increase
in efficiency as well as become more cost feasible. Once solar road panels reach production
their efficiency will have increased and their cost can be driven down. At this point in time the
project will become more feasible.

Introduction
Reusable energy sources have been the topic of numerous debates, and on the minds of
engineers and environmentalists all over the globe for decades. The main problem with
reusable energy is that many of our methods to harness the available energy are terribly
inefficient and extremely expensive. As of right now, the United States as a whole relies heavily
on the use of fossil fuel energy sources such as, petroleum, natural gas, and coal. For example,
in 2014 the United States consumed 80.197 quadrillion (1 quadrillion = 1,000,000,000,000,000)
Btu (British Thermal Units) of energy from fossil fuels (Total Energy, 2015). To understand how
much energy that is, a Btu is the quantification of the amount of energy required to raise one
pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. However, the amount of energy being generated and
consumed by renewable energy sources has been steadily increasing. For the past three years
the amount of renewable energy generated in the United States has increased from 8.826
quadrillion Btu in 2012 to 9.684 quadrillion Btu in 2014 (Total Energy, 2015). The production of
renewable energy will continue to follow the current positive trend, but the overall amount of
energy used in the United States is also increasing. Meaning, that not only will the amount of
renewable energy produced increase and subsequently be completely consumed, but the
consumption of fossil fuels will increase as well.
A silver lining is on the horizon, there is an idea circulating that will utilize the 31,250.86
square miles of impervious surfaces that make up the contiguous states’ roadways, parking lots,
and pathways (The Numbers, 2015). Scott Brusaw is the lead engineer and innovator of the
solar road panel. Scott and his wife, Julie, work together at the company that they have started,
Solar Roadways: A Real Solution, on developing a panel that will provide a dynamic solution to
the problem of harnessing reusable energy sources. His idea is to transform all of the
impervious surfaces in the United States into solar road panels that will not only increase road
safety and maintenance efficiency, but also produce enough energy to power the entire United
States. The panels are hexagonal with 15 inch sides to allow for the panels to cover hills and
curves a great deal more easily than with the original twelve-ft. by twelve-ft. prototype panel
(personal communication, Scott Brusaw, March 23, 2015). Despite these improvements, the
development of these panels is still in the prototype stages. Because of this, the goal of
acquiring renewable energy from the nation’s thousands of square miles of impervious surfaces
is still a fair distance from coming to fruition, and cannot be achieved by the Brusaws alone. In
order to reach this goal many individual companies, institutions and people will need to
implement these solar road panels in innovative and exciting ways. There have already been
attempts that implement similar ideas, for example in the Netherlands a 230 foot bike pathway
made up of “Lego-like” solar panels, similar to the Brusaws’ panels, was constructed in the
winter of 2014 (Solar-Energy Roadway Test, 2014). The success of the pathway will be
monitored over the next three years, but the preliminary calculations and projections have
proven to be promising. The solar road panel gives KSU (Kansas State University) the unique
opportunity to be the first institution to take a giant leap towards reusable solar energy for its
entire campus by transforming one of its parking lots into a solar parking lot. Figure 1 shows the
area of interest I have proposed for KSU.

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I propose to the Facilities Department at KSU that the parking lot north of the engineering
building, lot A28 above, be the trial run for this new technology on KSU’s campus. I have chosen
lot A28 because of its proximity to the engineering building and Ward hall. These two buildings
are the home of a lot of the research that occurs in the field of engineering at KSU, thus putting
lot A28 at the epicenter of these two academic buildings will provide another excellent source
of research for engineering students and professors.
This report will go into great detail explaining how solar cells work. I will walk through
several key theories and findings including the following: the entire process of converting solar
energy into electrical energy, the materials that are used in solar panels and why they’re used,
the theoretical amount of energy that this project could generate, and a rough cost analysis. In
order to properly develop the recommendation I have come up with I will need to answer five
main questions. First, how much energy can be generated by the solar parking lot? Second, how
much will it cost to implement the plan? Third, how do solar cells generate energy? Fourth, how
will the solar road panels withstand the ever-changing environment of Kansas and the wear and
tear of everyday use? Fifth, how are the solar road panels installed and the energy they
produce integrated into an existing power grid? Finally, what maintenance will the solar road
Figure 1. KSU engineering building and surrounding areas (adapted from, Campus Map, 2014)

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panels demand? I will end the report by giving an educated recommendation to KSU on how to
proceed with my proposal.
During my research I have found that solar cells being developed today have a max lab
efficiency exceeding 44 percent (The Numbers, 2015). However, these solar cells are far from
being cost efficient. An average solar panel in use today has solar cells with an efficiency of
around 18 to 20 percent. I have chosen Sunpower Labs’ E18 series panel with 18.5 percent
efficiency for the purpose of this report because Scott Brusaw uses these same solar panels for
his estimations. I calculated that the parking lot north of the engineering building could
theoretically produce over two million kilowatt-hours of energy a year. This calculation is a
rough estimate and takes advantage of several assumptions, but is a very promising value
considering the relatively small amount of space being considered. A very rough cost analysis
based on the average cost of 9.33 cents per kilowatt hour of energy used in Kansas shows that
in one year the solar parking lot could potentially generate nearly $200,000 worth of energy
(State Electricity, 2014). Now that the potential usefulness of the panels is clear, the durability
of the panels is still in question. The panels need to be able to withstand huge amounts of force
as well as taxing temperature and other environmental changes. I have found that the panels
being designed by the Brusaws can withstand 250,000 pounds each and possibly more (FAQ,
2015). The panels are designed with glass that is transparent enough to let light through, but
will also be opaque enough to not create any glare that could potentially affect drivers.
Concerns towards the panels not being able to withstand the environment are easily swept
aside considering that rain will only serve to clean the panels and increase efficiency, and snow
will be easily melted away by the internal heating system each panel will be equipped with. As
for concerns of natural disasters and other hard-hitting environmental phenomenon, the panels
can withstand over 250,000 pounds of force, which should be more than enough to prevent
damage. After taking all of this into consideration the implementation of solar road panels for
large scale projects may benefit from waiting until the prototyping stage is complete and
production has begun. By the time production begins more efficient solar cells will be available,
and the cost for materials will decrease because they will be bought at wholesale pricing.
Methods of Research
Primary Research
To begin calculating how much energy lot A28 could theoretically produce I needed to
know how large the lot is. In order to save time and ensure the accuracy of the information I e-
mailed the facilities department and was put into contact with Patrick Hodgson. Patrick is an
architectural Intern for the Facilities Department of Planning and Project Management at KSU
and informed me that lot A28 is approximately 131,900 square feet (personal communication,
Patrick Hodgson, March 31, 2015). From this I calculated how many watts are produced if the
entire area were to be covered with 13.4 square foot E18/230 SunPower solar panels by
dividing the area of the parking lot by area of the panels divided by the power they produce,
230 watts (E18/230 Solar Panel, n.d.). I found that the total power produced could be as much
as 2,263,955 watts. Power produced and consumed is measured in kWh (kilo-watt hours),
therefore it was necessary to make an assumption for the amount of hours the panels will be
exposed to sunlight. I used the same assumption that Scott Brusaw made during his own

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calculations of 4 hours of exposure per day meaning 1460 hours of exposure per year (The
Numbers, 2015). By multiplying the 1460 hours per day of light exposure by the amount of
power I calculated the panels could produce, I found that they produce roughly 3,305,375 kWh
of energy. Next, I had to include the 31% reduction in efficiency due to the panels being laid flat
and not at the optimum angle for the sunlight, and the 11.12% reduction in efficiency due to
the textured glass being used (The Numbers, 2015). Including these reductions I found that the
energy generated by the panels could be 2,027,094 kWh per year. By multiplying this value of
energy by the $0.093 per kWh it costs for energy in Kansas I found that KSU could generate
roughly $188,520 per year by implementing the solar parking lot. All of these calculations are
shown in Appendix 1. Next, I needed to determine how much it would cost for the panels to be
installed. First, I calculated how many panels would be needed to cover lot A28 by finding the
area of the 15 inch per side hexagons. I found that each panel has a surface area of 4.06 square
feet. By dividing the 131,900 square feet of the parking lot by the surface area of each panel, I
found that a minimum of 32,492 panels would be needed. All of these calculations are found in
Appendix 2. Finally, I developed a rough cost analysis that included an assumption of an extra
$50 per panel for labor and other components such as LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights and
heating elements that I did not calculate exactly. Through research I found that it costs an
average of $7.23 per watt of power installed. In order to calculate the cost for the solar cells
needed I determined that I would need 709,140 solar cells that each produce 3.2 watts power.
The total cost per solar cell installed would be roughly $23.10, and the total cost for the entire
parking lot would be roughly $16,406,658. Next, I found that it costs roughly $154 per 7 square
feet of tempered glass (How much, 2014). I determined it would be necessary to purchase at
least 18,843 sheets of tempered glass which would cost roughly $2,901,822. Last, I included the
extra $50 per panel installed for a total of an extra $1,647,100. I determined that the total cost
of this project would be roughly $20,955,580. The cost analysis calculations are found in
Appendix 3.
Secondary Research
Throughout my time researching the solar road panels I found that many of the
webpages concerning the topic other than the company webpage were extremely opinionated.
Regardless of whether the author had a positive or negative view on the idea I decided to not
use these webpages and used the Solar Roadways: A Real SolutionTM webpage as my main
source of information concerning the panels. The webpage allows the visitor to navigate
through a series of links including a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page, numbers page, and
prototype description pages, among others. For the majority of my research concerning the
solar road panels I used these webpages that were all authored by Scott Brusaw.
For research concerning how solar panels work and what semiconductor materials are, I
used my notes from my NE (Nuclear Engineering) 612 class with Dr. McGregor, and accurate
internet articles concerning the topics. In order to ensure the accuracy of my information, I
used the U.S. Energy Information Administration webpage for the research concerning the
amount of energy consumed in the U.S. as well as the amount of energy produced by
renewable energy sources. Finally, I used basic internet market searching to find the general
and average cost values that were used in the cost analysis of the project.

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Energy Generated by Solar Panels
How do solar cells work?
Even now, solar panels are found on our rooftops, line our streets, and are used to
power our most advanced technologies such as spacecraft. However, many people do not have
even a basic understanding of how these solar panels generate energy that we can use. In each
solar panel there are a finite number of solar cells. These cells are also known as PV
(photovoltaic) cells because they operate based on the principles of the photoelectric effect.
The photoelectric effect occurs when a photon is absorbed entirely by an atom, and the energy
of the photon causes the atom to reach an excited state (McGregor, 2015). The energy
imparted by the photon is released from the valence band of the atom in the form of an
electron (McGregor, 2015). The energy of the electron is equal to the original energy of the
photon absent the binding energy of the electron (McGregor, 2015). The electrons released
from the valence band travel through the band gap and into the conduction band (McGregor,
2015). Thus, the photoelectric effect cannot occur in a material if the band gap is too large and
requires an electron to contain more energy than the photon can impart. Electrons in the
conduction band act as free electrons that scatter throughout the conduction band at varying
angles dependent upon the angle that the photons interact with the original atom (Biswal,
2012). The free electrons cannot create the current without a driving force to push the
electrons in the desired direction. In order to ensure that the electrons have a direction to go
with the energy they carry it is necessary to use a material that creates an electric field when
electrons are released from the atoms within the material (Dhar, 2013). The most efficient
materials at producing such effects are known as semiconductor materials. Figure 2 shows the
relationship between the energy of the particles in each band to their location in a
semiconductor material.

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Figure 2. Band location in semiconductor materials (McGregor, 2015)
In Figure 2, the upper bands do not contribute to the motion of electrons. The tightly bound
band is the location of the least energetic electrons and is completely filled with electrons.
In PV cells, Silicon is the primary semiconductor material in use. Silicon is nearly
considered an insulator because it is among a unique group of elements that have exactly four
electrons in the outer shell. This phenomenon allows for a complete formation of covalent
bonds with adjacent atoms creating a lattice. Materials that form complete lattices within their
structure are considered to be crystalline in form. Crystalline materials are generally considered
to be insulators because of the large amount of energy required to release an electron from the
valence band due to the large band gap. The relationship between the band gap width and the
type of material is shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3. Relationship between band width gap and class of material (Jabalameli, 2014)

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In order to alter the electrical properties of Silicon, thus making the material more
conductive, both sides of the Silicon in a PV cell are “doped”. The doping process is one that
intentionally introduces impurities into a pure material, in this case Silicon, in order to alter the
electrical properties of the material (McGregor, 2015). The top side is doped with Phosphorous
to add extra electrons, and is known as the cathode or N-type semiconductor for holding a
negative charge (Dhar, 2013). The bottom side is doped with Boron to result in less electrons,
and is known as the anode or P-type semiconductor for holding a positive charge (Dhar, 2013).
Photons enter the negatively charged cathode of the Silicon PV cell and excite the electrons.
The electrons in their excited state escape the silicon junction and create an electric current
that can be utilized as electrical energy. The electric current is driven by the rush of the
positively charged holes towards the anode to await the introduction of more electrons and the
negatively charged electrons towards the cathode. This rush of opposite charges causes the
formation of an electric field that directs the current (Biswal, 2012). Once the electrons have
deposited their energy they return to the anode the PV cell from where they eventually return
to the cathode to repeat the process. This process occurs thousands of times a second within in
the cells to keep an electric current flowing (Dhar, 2013). Figure 3 shows a common
configuration of a crystalline-silicon (c-Si) semiconductor.
Figure 4. Common crystalline-silicon solar cell configuration (Dirjish, 2012)

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Here, the c-Si solar cell is covered by a protective glass cover that is held to the silicon with a
transparent adhesive. The c-Si cell is coated with an anti-reflective coating to ensure that as
much light as possible filters all the way through to the c-Si layers (Dirjish, 2012). Within the
silicon an N-type and P-type semiconductor are held together by a positive contact on the top,
the front contact, and by a negative contact on the bottom, back contact (Dirjish, 2012).
To summarize, solar panels generate electrical energy when photons, particles of light,
enter the solar cell and release electrons from their bonds creating an electrical current. The
amount of energy the newly freed electrons can carry is dependent upon the amount of energy
carried by the incident photon. The free electrons are driven through the semiconductor
material by an electrical field that is created within the semiconductor material. This process is
repeated continuously within a solar cell as long as there is enough energy to induce the
photoelectric effect.
Solar Road Panel Limitations
How will the panels endure everyday wear and tear?
Many people share a common misconception that asphalt is “harder” than glass. This
misconception makes the idea of creating our roadways with the top surface being made up of
glass hard to swallow. However, glass is in fact much harder than asphalt. Mohs’ scale of
hardness, which ranks materials from softest, a rank of 0, to hardest, a rank of 10, confirms this
fact and is shown in Figure 5.

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Figure 5. Hardness of common objects (Frequently Asked, 2015)
From Figure 5 it is clear that even plate glass with a hardness of 5.5 to 6.0 is harder than asphalt
that has a hardness of 1.3. In the solar road panels the glass being used is a half inch thick
tempered glass, which is 4 to 5 times harder than plate glass (Frequently Asked, 2015).
Tempered glass is used for applications such as bulletproof glass, which makes asphalt the soft
material by comparison (Frequently Asked, 2015). Tempered glass has an added benefit of not
shattering into sharp shards of glass. When tempered glass breaks it cracks or it breaks into
pellets without sharp edges (Frequently Asked, 2015). The solar road panels are being designed
with recycled tempered glass towards a maximum weight limit of 250,000 pounds (Frequently
Asked, 2015). The maximum legal weight limit for a semi-truck is only 80,000 pounds, but this
value was chosen due to the fact that oil companies can receive permission to move equipment
that weighs as much as 230,000 pounds on frozen roads (Frequently Asked, 2015). The solar
road panels should have no problem enduring everyday wear and tear with the ability to
withstand so much weight. Concerning the solar cells themselves, almost every solar cell that is
in production today has an extremely long replaceable warranty, and with the Sunpower
E18/230 panel there is a limited power warranty of 25 years (E18/230 Solar Panel, n.d.). If a
solar road panel needs to be replaced, it will probably be due to damage done from outside
sources such as devastating car wrecks and natural disasters.
How will the panels endure the changing environment?
We all know that Kansas can be unforgiving with its’ naturally tendency for inconsistent
weather. Luckily, for the sake of the solar road panels and the cells they house, fluctuating
temperatures will not affect the efficiency or lifespan of the panels significantly. In fact,
semiconductor materials become more conductive at higher temperatures, which will decrease

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the band gap and actually increase the efficiency of the solar roadway (McGregor, 2015).
However, this increase in efficiency at high temperatures will have the inverse effect at low
temperatures. The main concern for the temperature fluctuations is not the solar cells
themselves. The internal electrical components that allow for the entire systemto function
properly are more susceptible to damage because of a fluctuation in temperature. The
microprocessors within the panels can withstand up to 257 degrees Fahrenheit and are
embedded within the panel itself, so they will not be at the surface temperature which will be
the hottest (Frequently Asked, 2015). The surface of the solar roadway should actually be
cooler than that of asphalt in the same environment. This is due to the fact that in asphalt 100%
of the sun’s energy absorbed is converted into heat, and with the solar roadway at least 15% of
the energy will be converted into electrical energy (Frequently Asked, 2015). Unfortunately,
temperature fluctuations are not the only concerning environmental effects.
The climate we live in provides for many environmental phenomenon that could
potentially damage the solar road panels. Environmental effects such as hail will not provide
enough force to even dent the tempered glass, and environmental effects such as sleet and
snow will become issues of the past. The solar road panels are being designed with internal
heating elements, similar to those installed in the rear window of a car (Frequently Asked,
2015). The heating elements will be capable of keeping roads clear of snow in all but the most
extreme blizzard situations. The panels can also be designed with the heating element removed
for installation in climates that would not require the use of a heating element (Frequently
Asked, 2015). The heating elements are powered by the grid and not by the solar cells, so they
will work in the dark and when the panels are completely covered by snow (Frequently Asked,
2015). The ability to remove snow without effecting the surface of the panels will completely
erase the effects of frost heave, which is caused by rapid freezing and thawing cycles, and make
potholes a thing of the past (Frequently Asked, 2015). This addition will save city and state
governments the copious amounts of money it costs them to clear the roads during a snow
storm. The environment will also be saved from the caustic effects of materials like salt that are
used to aid in the melting of snow on our roadways. Figure 6 shows Scott Brusaw’s solar
parking lot covered in snow with the heating element active in one row of the panels.

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Figure 6. Snow removal test with one heater on (High Resolution, 2015)
Environmental effects such as rain and flooding will actually prove to be beneficial to
the solar road panels by effectively cleaning off the build-up of dirt. Many people may picture
cars sliding off the glass roads because of their misconception that the glass is smooth and
therefore slippery. However, rain will not affect the traction provided by the solar road panels.
In fact, the tempered glass being used is textured to provide a traction coefficient that is at
least equivalent to that of asphalt and, in lab testing, has proven to exceed all expectations
(Frequently Asked, 2015). Samples of the glass were sent to a university civil engineering lab for
traction testing, and the results proved that the glass, even when wet, could stop a vehicle
going 80 miles per hour in the minimum required distance (Frequently Asked, 2015). With rain
there is usually lightning as well. The system will be protected by grounding rods and MOVs
(metal-oxide varistors) (Frequently Asked, 2015). MOVs are a common type of surge protector
that, simply put, diverts extra induced voltage to the ground. These two methods of protection
are supplementary to the fact that the roads are on the ground and covered with a thick layer
of tempered glass that acts as an insulator (Frequently Asked, 2015). Lightning is attracted to
conductor materials and therefore would be much more likely to target a tree than the solar
roadway. The systemof a solar roadway would place all the power lines that line our streets
now in the underground raceway on the sides of the road (Frequently Asked, 2015). This means
that power outages due to electrical storms could possibly be eliminated completely
(Frequently Asked, 2015).
The panels seemto be almost completely impervious to damage and environmental
effects, however there are some facets of Mother Nature that even the best designs cannot
overcome. Human design and engineering has yet to overpower natural disasters such as
earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and rock slides. These natural disasters will have generally
the same effect on the solar road panels as they do on asphalt, but the power provided by the

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road as a whole will not be entirely effected (Frequently Asked, 2015). The damaged panels will
be the only ones that will stop producing energy (Frequently Asked, 2015). While the panels
cannot withstand the power of Mother Nature at her most dangerous moments, they may be
capable of detecting when certain natural disasters will strike. Scott Brusaw is currently
attempting to communicate with earthquake scientists to see about embedding some type of
sensor that could aid in the early detection and prediction of earthquakes (Frequently Asked,
2015). Applying this sort of detection systemto the panels would allow for solar roadways to be
used as a warning systemand even direct traffic away from potentially dangerous areas
(Frequently Asked, 2015).
Although solar road panels can withstand extreme physical and environmental forces,
they can also be programmed to be pressure sensitive. This feature would allow the solar
roadway to detect when an animal has wondered onto the road and warn drivers to slow down.
A pressure sensitive road would also make cross-walks and other pedestrian walkways and bike
paths much safer. The road would constantly be aware of the ever changing world around it
making the nation’s entire roadway systemsafer. The pressure sensors could also be applied
towards saving energy by only operating the LEDs when cars or people are within a certain
distance. Overall the solar roadway will be at the very least as durable as the asphalt roads
currently in place with the added bonus of increasing safety.
Installation and Maintenance
How are solar road panels installed?
Scott Brusaw has managed to install only one prototype parking lot consisting of 108 of
his phase II prototype solar road panels (Frequently Asked, 2015). That covers roughly only 450
square feet, which is an extremely small area compared to the projects that will be presented
to the solar road panel. Scott Brusaw does not plan on jumping directly into implementing his
solar road panels on highways (Frequently Asked, 2015). He is wisely choosing to implement
the solar road panels in areas of low speed and impact such as pathways and parking lots
(Frequently Asked, 2015). This will allow for the perfection of the installation and for tweaks to
be made to the design before moving to projects that will have a more demanding timeframe
and performance such as highways.
The installation process for the current prototype solar road panel first requires a base
layer for support. This base layer will consist of a concrete foundation slab, in some cases the
preexisting asphalt road will be sufficient for the foundation, and a raceway cut into the ground
running parallel to the foundation (Frequently Asked, 2015). For the initial projects in low speed
areas less substrate will be needed and the existing foundations should be viable for installation
of solar road panels (Frequently Asked, 2015). The raceways along the solar roadway will be
used to run the necessary wiring to connect the panels to the existing power grid and drainage
(Frequently Asked, 2015). Many people may think that running power cables the length of our
roads to allow for the energy to be transferred to the correct recipient would prove to be very
costly. However, if you think about it, when do you see a road without a series of power lines
running alongside it? The Brusaws have contacted power and other utility companies who all
love the idea of moving their lines into the solar roadway “cable corridors” (Frequently Asked,

13
2015). Ideally, the energy generated will be used as close to the site of the solar road panels as
possible. The energy generated will be integrated into a “virtual storage” systemdesigned by
Scott Brusaw that will allow for the energy to be used on site as well as direct the excess energy
to the main power grid (Frequently Asked, 2015). The excess energy being transferred to the
main power grid will be measured by a meter and can be returned to the source of generation
when the panels are not producing enough energy to meet demands (Frequently Asked, 2015).
The solar road panels will exist in a decentralized system to allow for each solar road panel to
operate separately of the other panels in the roadway (Frequently Asked, 2015). This means
that during a natural disaster, or any other cause for damage to be done to the solar roadway,
the panels on either side of the damage will be able to provide the much needed energy of the
surrounding areas (Frequently Asked, 2015). Solar roadways are also easily integrated into
using battery systems that can be placed within the raceway along the roadway (Frequently
Asked, 2015). The main concern of becoming reliant on batteries as a backup systemof energy
is the buildup of battery acid, so the Brusaws are attempting to stick to a more environmentally
friendly option (Frequently Asked, 2015).
After the base layer and electrical wiring is placed, a series of internal support structures
are installed (Phase II, 2015). The internal support structures consist of steel rods that will allow
the hexagonal panels to fit snuggly together like a large puzzle. Figure 7 shows the Brusaws
installing solar road panels during their construction of the prototype solar parking lot.
Figure 7. Final stage of installation of the prototype solar parking lot (Barry, 2014)
As you can see, the steel support structures align flush with the surface of the solar road panels.
These holes will be sealed properly prior to the solar panels being activated (Frequently Asked,
2015). The installation methods used to install the prototype solar parking lot will more than
likely not properly represent a more streamlined installation process for commercial use. This
original installation was done with handheld power tools and no large machinery. In order for
the installation methods to be effective at large scales it is necessary to make numerous
changes that will increase the speed and consistency of the process.

14
What maintenance do the panels demand?
Now that we know how durable the panels are and how they are installed, we can
explore the maintenance of a solar roadway. We know that each panel has its own
microprocessor. The solar roadway systemis modular meaning each of the components works
separately of the others. In each solar road panel the microprocessor communicates with the
surrounding solar panels (Frequently Asked, 2015). If a single panel is damaged, to the point
that it no longer works at all, the microprocessor within the solar road panel will stop
communicating (Frequently Asked, 2015). When this happens the problem is reported to the
nearest operation station and an operator can address the issue (Frequently Asked, 2015). Each
panel assembly weighs 110 pounds making it easy enough for a single operator to load a
working panel into their truck and simply remove the broken panel, replacing it with the
working one (Frequently Asked, 2015). The damaged panels are not simply discarded, but are
taken to a repair center and can be reused (Frequently Asked, 2015). When damaged panels
are replaced it is possible that newer models of solar road panels have been developed. The
newly installed panel may be equipped with higher efficiency solar cells increasing the total
energy generated by the solar roadway and making the solar roadway an exciting and dynamic
renewable energy source.
There are some issues that arise when using microprocessors connected in a system
such as the solar roadway, as well as with any electrical system. First of all, a solar road panel is
not very cheap and could potentially catch the eye of thieves. However, if a thief decides to
attempt to steal a solar road panel they will be instantly alerting the operator of the
disconnection of one of the solar road panels (Frequently Asked, 2015). The solar road panels
are also equipped with GPS tracking devices that turns a thief’s prize into a beacon for law
enforcement (Frequently Asked, 2015). The greater security issue will be with hackers that
attempt to “steal” the energy produced by the solar roadway (Frequently Asked, 2015). This
issue will hopefully be avoided by implementing the help of an effective cyber-security team to
keep the systemsafe and secure (Frequently Asked, 2015). The solar road panels can also be
implemented in home and business security systems. The pressure sensitive panels can be used
to detect when someone is present where they shouldn’t be and trigger an alarm (Frequently
Asked, 2015). These pressure sensors can also be used to alert operators when an obstacle has
fallen on the road. For instance, if a series of panels detects a continuous and consistent weight
on their surfaces an operator can deduce that an obstacle has fallen on the roadway. Overall,
the maintenance of the solar road panels will be much more efficient, and is actually easier
than our current methods of repairing and repaving roads.
Benefits to Kansas State University
The solar road panel is an example of an exciting new technology that could possibly
have huge implications on the future of the United States’ power grid. KSU is an institution that
has many professors, doctorate, graduate and undergraduate students that perform research
and receive grants for doing so. Choosing lot A28 places the solar parking lot in the perfect
location for engineering professors and students to perform research and deduce the large
scale feasibility of the solar road panel. In order for technology like this to reach its potential it
is necessary for educational institutions to take financial leaps that could help further improve

15
the technology. Implementing a solar parking lot on KSU’s campus could very easily be
financially supplemented by government grants and would provide a virtual playground for all
disciplines of engineering. Electrical engineers could potentially benefit from hands on
maintenance of the power cables, and by operating the microprocessors from an educational
operations center similar to that of the nuclear reactor in Ward hall. Civil engineers could
potentially benefit by performing traction, hardness, load, and many other tests that give real
world experience to the participants. Chemical and nuclear engineers could experiment with
the implementation of different semiconductor materials, and attempting to increase the
efficiency of the solar cells. Mechanical engineers can work in any of these fields and would find
themselves capable of experiencing numerous different educational involvements. Overall, the
entire engineering body would benefit from an educational stand point, not to mention the
obvious financial benefits KSU would receive from the energy generated.
Results and Discussion
After looking at the capabilities of Scott Brusaw’s solar road panels it is clear that they
are truly a viable and dynamic solution to the problem of finding renewable energy sources.
The solar road panels are more than capable of enduring the harshness of Kansas winters, and
the intensity of Kansas summers. It is also clear that the solar road panels can withstand any
amount of weight that could possibly be present on lot A28. The longevity of the solar road
panels should not be an issue unless there is a natural disaster. The ability to replace a single,
damaged solar road panel adds a dynamic quality that could prove to be a cornerstone of the
whole idea. Being able to install a new solar road panel with higher efficiency solar cells when
an old panel is damaged allows for the solar road to constantly be upgraded. This will increase
the energy produced by solar roadway systems over time. Despite all of the great attributes of
the solar road panel there are still some drawbacks. The theoretical total amount of energy lot
A28 could produce if it were to be transformed into a solar parking lot is only $188,519.71 per
year. To construct the solar parking lot would require a minimum of 32,492 panels. The total
cost of the project would be roughly $20,955,580. The buyback period for the parking lot would
be 111 years at this cost. For anyone with a grasp on business this buyback period is
astronomical. The solar road panel will have to enter production at a reasonable cost to allow
for the dream of paving our roadways with solar road panels to come to fruition.

16
Conclusions and Recommendations
To conclude, I have decided that the implementation of solar road panels in parking lot
A28 on KSU’s campus is not feasible at this moment in time. Although there are clear
educational and financial benefits, after determining that the solar parking lot would
theoretically produce only $188,520 worth of energy each year and cost an initial $20,955,580
there was no other logical conclusion. Having a buyback period of over 100 years is a clear
indicator that the project is not feasible. While the idea of a parking lot or roadway generating
enough energy to power the surrounding buildings and potentially allow for entire institutions
and cities to go off grid is really cool, it is still not cost feasible without an efficient method of
production. Scott Brusaw and his team are working tirelessly to reach this point with the solar
road panel, but for now his dream is still a dream. At this moment, the only way to implement
this project would be to receive large amounts of grant money from the government. This route
is feasible, but it would take a lot of time, planning, politics, and collaboration among
professors and senior staff members. Even with large amounts of grant money the project
would still cost an astronomical amount compared to the financial benefits gained by its
implementation. As the solar road panel makes its way into production and the efficiency of the
solar cells increases projects like this one will become more feasible. I fully expect for the solar
road panel to become a common technology across the nation in the next 10 to 15 years.
Overall, Scott Brusaw’s exciting idea has presented the world with a promising and dynamic
solution to the global problem of finding clean, renewable energy sources.

17
References
Barry, K. (2014, May 8). This Parking Lot Is Paved With Solar Panels | WIRED. Retrieved April 27,
2015, from http://www.wired.com/2014/05/solar-road/
Biswal, A. (2012, July 14). Why semiconductors are used in solar cells not conductors. Retrieved
April 8, 2015, from http://www.123mylist.com/2012/07/why-semiconductors-are-used-
in-solar.html
Brusaw, S (2015). Indiegogo, solar roadways. Retrieved Feb. 20, 2015 from,
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/solar-roadways
Campus Map 2014-2015. (2014). Retrieved March 23, 2015, from
http://www.k-state.edu/parking/2014-15%20Campus%20map.pdf
Dhar, M. (2013, December 16). How do solar panels work? Retrieved April 2, 2015, from
http://www.livescience.com/41995-how-do-solar-panels-work.html
Dirjish, M. (2012, May 16). What's the difference between thin-film and crystalline-silicon solar
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sources/what-s-difference-between-thin-film-and-crystalline-silicon-solar-panels
E18/230 Solar Panel. (n.d.). Retrieved April 20, 2015, from
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s/53.htm?searching=Y&sort=9&cat=53&show=16&page=1
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How Much Does Tempered Glass Cost? | HowMuchIsIt.org. (2014, January 1). Retrieved April
26, 2015, from http://www.howmuchisit.org/tempered-glass-cost/
Jabalameli, Mohammad (December 17, 2014), Electronic band structures. Retrieved April 20,
2015, from http://www.homofaciens.de/technics-semiconductor-band-
structure_en_navioff.htm
McGregor, Douglas (Spring, 2015), NE 612: Principles of Radiation Detection, Kansas State
University. Unpublished raw data.

18
Phase II Prototype. (2015). Retrieved March 6, 2015, from
http://www.solarroadways.com/prototypeII.shtml
Solar-Energy Roadway Test Begins in the Netherlands. (2014, November 12). New York Times,
p. B2(L). Retrieved March 4, 2015 from
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/12/business/energy-environment/solar-energy-
roadway-test-begins-in-the-netherlands.html?_r=0
State Electricity Profiles. (2014, May 1). Retrieved April 12, 2015, from
http://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/Kansas/
The numbers. (2015). Retrieved March 6, 2015, from
http://www.solarroadways.com/numbers.shtml
Total Energy. (2015, March 26). Retrieved April 12, 2015, from
http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/

19
Appendix A: Theoretical Energy Calculation

20
Appendix B: Number of Panels Needed

Final Paper 2

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